CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS: General Admission $35 Adv/$45 Day of Show, Reserved $45 Adv/$55 Day of Show (No service fee if purchased at the Variety Playhouse box M-F 12-6 PM or during all shows)
Where: The Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
When: Thursday, December 20, 2018
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Vassar Clements was a dear friend to many, and I know I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him professionally and developed a close personal friendship with the man in the final chapter of his amazing life. Vassar first performed with Col. Bruce Hampton at HarvestFest in 1999, with Col. Bruce introducing him to the stage as the King of Kings. What a fitting title.

On December 20, the 8th Annual Holiday Hootenanny will pay tribute to this amazing American music legend who transcended genres and generations to create a mystique all his own, performing with everyone from Bill Monroe to Jerry Garcia to Stephan Grapelli and all points in between. We will be kicking off the show with a short set of fiddle jams by one of the finer trifecta of players – Jason Carter (Del McCoury Band), Lyndsay Pruett (John Stickley Trio), John Mailander (Bruce Hornsby) – and joined by Jeff Mosier on banjo, Mark Henry on the upright bass, Matthew Williams on guitar, and Nick DiSebastian on mandolin. What a great start to the evening! The adjusted schedule is below:
7:00 – 7:15 ~ Vassar Clements Tribute
7:20 – 8:05 ~ Heather Gillis
8:30 – 9:30 ~ Jim Lauderdale
10:00 – 11:15 ~ Peter Rowan
11:20 – 12:15 AM ~ Jeff Mosier leads Jam Finale
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Here’s Vassar performing Orange Blossom Special with an all-star cast, including Jason Carter!





that includes
The 8th Annual Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny is dedicated to the memory of the late great fiddler 

It was beyond cold with the strong wind blowing Saturday. Heavy rain Friday. Some sleet on Saturday mixed with sunshine. Finally clearing by Saturday evening. Wow! And through it all, the show went on! The musicians played their hearts out, the crowd, around 400 total, was dialed in and having a blast, plenty of kids running around with their faces painted, and the music stayed on schedule! All this despite some crazy weather conditions. THANK YOU to the staff and sound crews from
Blackberry Possum got the ball rolling Friday night with some fantastic energy that had everyone moving and shaking under the extended cover in front of the stage. If you have a chance to catch them, don’t miss that opportunity. Saturday morning was when the high for the day occurred, and the temperature dropped from then on. That didn’t stop the music from keeping everyone warm and fuzzy inside on both stages all day and into the late night. Pickled Holler, featuring former members of Blueground Undergrass – Rev. Jeff Mosier, Matthew Williams & Edward Hunter – and beautiful vocals and bass playing of Jessica Williams, was the ideal way to ease into the day. How lucky are we to have such caliber of talent to start the day?! Our friends in Spackle provided a nice rock
edge. Dead Affect provided just the right set of Grateful Dead music to boogie through the afternoon. Honeywood continued that boogie with some high energy jamgrass. Rev. Jeff Mosier & Biscuit Tragedy laid down an absolutely beautiful set that really left me missing my good friend Col. Bruce, who would have certainly been performing at this one. The GMOs provided us with one of the best sets of the day; if you have an opportunity to catch this fresh outfit, don’t miss out! The return of Snake Oil Medicine Show to the stage was extremely special, and they laid out some incredible gypsy and reggae rhythms mixed in with their signature hypnotic sound. One can never underestimate a set when it’s led by the amazing singer/songwriter Ralph Roddenbery, and the wow factor was in full effect after his memorable set. Deep Blue Sun followed that with 90 minutes of purely hypnotic jams that was easy listening from the bonfire, and Strung Like A Horse made sure everyone was strung by the end of the night. There were sit-ins abound all day and night Saturday and for the Friday night set, which made for a ultra-special experience. Enjoy the snippet from Friday night below featuring Bobby Miller sitting in with Blackberry Possum for some fine bluegrass jams!
As we get closer to THE weekend of The Harvest Family Hoot, I’ve been pondering what this event represents beyond a celebration of 20 years & going strong. We are gathering for what promises to be an absolutely amazing collaboration of musicians Friday night, all day Saturday and into the late night, yet I have come to the realization that this event is as much a segue way to another 20 years of reinvention and ways to bring music to the community, be it through the Frank Hamilton School or creating fresh community events that impact my immediate surroundings in the greater Atlanta area. I’m not sure what the future brings as far as camping events are concerned; I am certain that TDawg Presents will continue to provide a reason for folks with different ideals and beliefs – religious, political & otherwise – to enjoy the music together, as music is a strong common bond. It’s important to be reminded in such a polarizing world in which we live that there is more opportunity to unite than divide. I intend to do my part with the former rather than the latter.